Pigment patches (café au lait spots and Becker naevus)
What?
Pigment patches are light brown marks on the skin that become visible from the age of 2. They may be harmless or they may occur as part of a syndrome. So you should always ask the advice of your dermatologist before treating them.
Becker naevus is a pigmented patch on the shoulder, with hair growth. The patch is usually present from birth but often only becomes visible in puberty.
Which type of laser?
Café au lait spots and Becker naevus are benign and laser treatment is recommended if you feel they are a cosmetic blemish. The ultrashort pulse of the Q-switch laser allows us to destroy the pigment without damaging the skin structure itself.
Side effects?
The laser treatment itself is not painful because we use a numbing cream that can be applied at home one hour before the treatment.
After the treatment, little white dots will be visible on the pigment stain. These are caused by the formation of gas bubbles and will disappear after a few minutes. The skin may look red for a few hours after the treatment and in exceptional cases scabs may form.
Precautions?
- Avoid exposure to the sun for four weeks before and six weeks after the treatment and wear sunscreen factor 50+.
- You should apply the numbing cream at home under a plastic film one hour before the laser treatment.